Combined car and train-pipe coupling.



j. S. DOYLE & F. HEDLEY,

COMBINED CAR AND TRAIN PIPE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE'23. I915.

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INVENTORS mm Q Patented Feb. 20, 1917.

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1.8. DOYLE & F HEDLEYa COMBINED CAR AND TRAIN PIPE COUPLING.

APPLICATION nuzu JUNE 23, 1915.

1,216,295.. Patented Feb. 20, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

JAMES S. DOYLE, OF MOUNT VERNON, AND FRANK HEDLEY, OF YONKERS, NEW YORK,

ASSIGNORS TOTHE VZESTINGI-IOUSE AIR BRAKE COMPANY,

PENNSYLVANIA.

SYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF or WILMERDING, PENN- COMBINED CAR AND TRAIN-PIPE COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented lFeb. 20, 191?.

Original application filed March 24, 1913, Serial No. 756,469. Divided and this application filed June 23, 1915. Serial No. 35,792.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, JAMES S. DOYLE and FRANK HnnLnY, both citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, at Mount Vernon and Yonkers, in the county ofVVestchester and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Combined Car and Train-Pipe Couplings, of which improvement the following is a specification.

This invention relates to car coupling devices, and also to mechanism for automatically coupling train pipe connections between the cars or other vehicles of a train. ()ne of the features of this present improvement relates more particularly to a car coupling of the so-called rigid lock type in which hook shaped projections having vertical plane surfaces engage each other by a relative lateral movement and are tightly held by pivoted locking levers, and one of the objects is to provide fluid pressure means for actuating the locking levers to release the couplers.

Another feature relates to, the train pipe coupling devices which are carried by the car couplers, the object being to provide improved automatic valvular means for controlling the ends of the pipe sections, in or der to perform the functions of the usual angle cocks, when the cars are uncoupled or when the are coupled together. Another object is to provide means for preventing the closing of the valves in the train brake pipe connections when the couplers are accidentally pulled apart in order to permit the escape of air and produce an application of the brakes, but at the same time to permit the automatic closing of said valves when they are intentionally uncoupled and separated.

These and other objects will hereinafter more fully appear from the following description of one form of apparatus embodying the various features of our improvement, the novel construction and combinations being set forth in the claims.

This application is a division of our origi "9 nal application 756,469, filed ill larch 24-, 1913.

in the accompanying drawings: Figure .1 is a horizontal section, taken substantially on the line 1- -Tl of Fig. at, andshowing two Serial. No.

counterpart couplers in the coupled position; Fig. 2, a horizontal section through the hooked portion of the couplers, showing the same locked together; Fig. 3, a side view of the inside or locking face of the coupler; and Fig. 4, anoutside elevation of one of the couplers complete.

According to the construction shown in the drawings, the coupler comprises a main casting or coupler head, 12, adapted to be secured, preferably by a pivotal connection, 13, to the draw bar (not shown) and having a hook shaped projection, 14, provided with a vertical plane surface, 15, inclined at an angle to the line of draft and adapted to engage and interlock with a corresponding surface on the projection of a counterpart coupler by a relative lateral movement when said couplers come together in the act of coupling. Each coupler is also provided with a movable lock, 16, preferably pivoted as shown, and adapted to bear against a surface, 17, on the outer side of the projection, 14, of the counterpart coupler and hold said couplers securely clamped together when in coupled position, the construction as thus far described being similar to that of prior Westinghouse Patent No. 708,747, of September 9, 1902.

According to one of the features of our present improvement, fluid pressure means are provided for releasing the lock of the coupler, a neferred construction for this purpose comprising a cylindrical chamber :lormed in the coupler head and containing a piston, 18, which connected by rod, 19, with an arm of the pivot-ed lock, 16, a spring, 20, acting on the back of the piston to normally hold the same and the pivoted lock in its locking position. Fluid under pressure, such as compressed air, may be admitted from a pipe connection, 21, through passage, 22, and port, 23, to the face of piston, 18, to move the same outward against the spring, 20, and actuate the pivoted lock, 16, to its releasing position, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. .Any suitable valve means may be employed for controlling the supply and release of the fluid to and from the cylinder.

For the purpose tion for the train pipe lines through the coupling, one or more passages, 24, comof establishing a ominouspac inunicating with respective pipe connections, 10, mayv be provided through the coupler head, preferably near the center of the coupling faces, and each having a gasket, 25, mounted in the open end of said passage substantially at right angles 7 to the vertical plane, 15, and adapted to squarely engage the corresponding gasket of the counterpart coupler as the two parts come together in line with the plane, 15. The passages are also provided with valves, 26, for opening and closing said passages automatically, as the couplers come together and separate, said valves having springs, 27, normally tending to seat the same,.and stems, 28, extending in. line with or parallel with the plane, 15, and projecting through the gasket opening for engaging the corresponding stems of the counter part coupler when the same are brought together. Flexible pipe or hose may be attached to the respective pipe connections, 40, and 21, in order to provide for the movement of the couplers. While it is desirable that the-valves should close automatically, and prevent the escape of fluid when the couplers are intentionally released and separated, it is also important, in the case of the train brake pipe, that it should remain open and vent to the atmosphere in order to efiect an automatic application of the brakes if the couplers should accidentally he pulled apart as when there is a break-in-two oi": the train, and in order to provide for this contingency, a small detent, 29, attached to piston, 30, is mounted in a chamber at the side of the valve, 26, and is normally held outward by a spring, 31, to prevent the'valve, 26, from closing should the couplers be accidentally pulled apart. In order that the detent may be automatically withdrawn when it is desired to release the couplers and. separate the cars, the piston, 30, is normally balanced as to the train pipe pressure in passage, 24, by the leakage thercof around or through a small port to the e at the hack of the piston, from which space a port, 32, communicates with the chamber, 33, of vent valve, 34;, actuated by the piston, 35, subject to the "fluid pressure admitted to pipe, 21, and passage 22.

When the two counterpart couplers come together in the act of coupling, the projections, 14, are guided into the corresponding recesses by the inclined surfaces, and there is a relative lateral movement of the couplers suflicient to permit the hook shaped projections to clear each-other as they enter the corresponding recesses where they engage and "force back the respective locks, 16, against the springs, 20, oi the counterpart coupler heads. The projections then move inward and laterally along the engaging sur- "face, 15, to the closed or coupled position in which the locks, 16, spring outward and engage the respective surfaces, 17, of the :o ipler projections and clamp the same toother tightly. During this movement along surfaces, 1:), the 131'016Ctll1g stems, 28, of

i i? this movement and force said valves, 26, a their seats to their open positions, at the squarely together forming a fluid tight joint,

the respective sections of train pipe lines on the adJacent cars. In the passage of the train brake pipe connection, the detent, 2%. is held out beneath the valve, 26, and the around the piston, 30, and throughout the port, to the vent valve, 54, which is closed.

and separate the cars, fluid under pressure is admitted through pipe, 21, and passage, where it acts on the piston, opening the vent val re, 34-, and the port, 23, leading into outward against the spring, 20, and releases tracted position. At the same time, the lluid 1'10111 the back of piston, 30, is vented to the 'n 9 v poit, o6, whereupon the train pipe pressure iorces the piston, 30, and the detent, 29, hack free to be pulled apart. As the couplers separate, the PiOJQCtlOHS slide laterally upon the automatically closed upon their seats by the springs, 27, thereby preventing the escape pressure may then be released from the pipes, 21, and passage, 22, whereupon the vent lock, 16, are returned to the normal locking position ready for being again coupled with dentally pulled apart at any time, the detent, 29, prevents the closing of the valves, 26, in

compressed air will be vented to the atmosphere and cause the desired application of Having now described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by 1. In a car coupling, the combination with a, coupler head having a train pipe passage corresponding opening in a counterpart coupling, and an automatic valve mounted through said opening, of a detent for preventing the closing of said valve, :1. piston valves, 26,, engage each other in the line ck on "one time that the gaskets, 25, seat and openin iree communication between fluid pressure of the train pipe equalizes ll hen it is desired to release the couplers the cylinder of piston, 18, which is forced the look by withdrawing the same to its roatinosphere through port, 32, valve, 34 and to its retracted position and the couplers are engaging surfaces, 15, and the valves, 26, are

of fluid from the train pipe lines; The fluid valve, 34, is closed and the piston, 18, and

another car. It the couplers should be accithe train brake pipe connections, whereby the the automatic brakes upon the train.

Letters Patent is:

and an opening adapted to register with a in said passage and having a stem extending connected to said detent and normally balanced as to train pipe pressure upon its opposite sides, and means -for venting the fluid from the rear of said piston for withdrmving said detent.

2. In a car coupling, the combination with a coupler head having a train pipe passage and an opening adapted to register With a corresponding opening in a counterpart coupling, and an automatic valve mounted in said passage and having a stem extending through said opening, of a detent for preventing the closingof said valve, a piston, subject to train pipe pressure, connected to said detent and having means for permitting the pressure to equalize upon the opposite end of said piston, and a vent valve for controlling the release of fluid from the rear of said piston.

3. In a car coupling, the combination With a coupler head having a train pipe passage and an opening adapted to register With a corresponding opening in a counterpart coupling, and an automatic valve mounted in said passage and having a stem extending through said opening, of a detent for preventing the closing of said valve, a piston, subject to train pipe pressure, connected to said detent and having means for permitting the pressure to equalize upon the opposite end of said piston, a vent valve for controlling the release of fluid from the rear of said piston, and another piston for actuating said vent valve.

4. In a carcoupling, the combination With a coupler head havmg a train pipe passage and an opening adapted to register with a corresponding opening in a counterpart coupling, and an automatic valve mounted in said passage and having a stem extending through said opening, of a detent for preventing the closing of said valve, and fluid pressure means actuated by pressure Within the train pipe passage for Withdrawing said detent when the couplers are released.

5. In a car coupling, the combination With a coupler head having a train pipe passage and an opening adapted to register With a corresponding opening in a counterpart coupling, and mounted in said passage, of a detent for preventing the closing of said valve, a movable lock for clamping the counterpart couplers together, and fluid pressure actuated mechanism for Withdrawing the said detent and for releasing the lock.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto set our hands.

JAMES S. DOYLE. FRANK HEDLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

an automatic valve 

